Like many people, I first fell in love with Jean Paul Belmondo while watching BREATHLESS (1960). To this day I can remember the exact moment when he won my affection. It happened during a lengthy scene between Belmondo and his beautiful costar Jean Seberg that takes place in a hotel room. After turning a poster into a makeshift telescope Seberg looks through it to see Jean-Paul Belmondo starring back at her. He’s shirtless and a bit disheveled. A half-smoked cigarette rests between his fingers and his mouth appears to be on the verge of a smile. His eyes are penetrating and disarming. Seberg’s character doesn’t say a word but her silence seems telling. It’s easy to assume that she’s surprised by how his steady stare made her feel and so was I. At that moment Belmondo captured a little piece of my heart forever.

Before Jean-Paul Belmondo became an actor he developed a passion for boxing. The actor’s crooked nose, heavy brow and thick-lips suggest that he’d prefer to be in a boxing ring instead of standing in front of a camera. He is dangerous but sympathetic and his imperfections are what make him so appealing. In films like BREATHLESS and LE DOULOS Belmondo can appear to be rather ruthless but the actor’s natural charm and good nature are always lingering at the surface. His boyish grin constantly threatens to give him away and as he got older Belmondo enjoyed taking roles in funny action films that showcased his physical prowess while allowing his comedic abilities to shine.

In BREATHLESS Belmondo plays a young criminal taking refuge in Paris following his thoughtless murder of a policeman. He treats women with careless disregard, is obsessed with death and seems hell-bent on his own destruction. Much like the film’s director (Jean-Luc Godard) and writer (Francois Truffaut), Belmondo’s character is obviously fond of classic Hollywood crime films. He obsesses over Humphrey Bogart and enjoys mimicking Bogey (or Bogie) whenever the opportunity arises.  But with every swipe of his lips Belmondo isn’t merely parodying Humphrey Bogart. He’s announcing to the audience that he’s playing at being a tough guy. Belmondo’s subtle breaking of the fourth wall is the key to understanding Godard’s influential and acclaimed nouvelle vague film.

BREATHLESS is a movie that celebrates the power of cinema while it deconstructs it, pays homage to it and finally disregards it for something bold, transgressive and new. It signaled a shift in how movies were seen and experienced. The actors, filmmakers and audience were now keenly aware of the historical significance of cinema. Movies were no longer just popular entertainment. They had become part of our culture, our heritage and our myth-making. Films were now the subject of intense critical debate and fan-fueled cults developed around comedy teams like The Marx Brothers as well as deceased actors such as James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart. BREATHLESS helped usher in a significant change in the way movies were appreciated and Jean-Paul Belmondo’s iconic performance in the film emphasizes the enigmatic appeal of modern cinema.

On Friday, April 9th Jean-Paul Belmondo will be celebrating his 77th birthday. The diverse films he has appeared in over the years such as BREATHLESS (1960), TWO WOMEN (1960), LEON MORIN, PREIST (1961), A WOMAN IS A WOMAN (1961), LE DOULOS (1962), CARTOUCHE (1962), THAT MAN FROM RIO (1964), PIERROT LE FOU (1965), MISSISSIPPI MERMAID (1969), BORSALINO (1970) and LE MAGNIFIQUE (1973) still seem so fresh and alive in my imagination that it’s difficult for me to admit their age. Belmondo may be 77 years old, but he will always be the charming bad boy of French cinema who won my affection with a look and the possibility of a smile.

If you’re planning on attending the TCM Classic Film festival taking place April 22-25 you’ll have the opportunity to see Jean-Paul Belmondo in person during the screening of a newly restored print of BREATHLESS. Belmondo has suffered some health problems in recent years so I was thrilled to learn that he was willing and able to attend the festival. I’m sure that many more people will fall in love with the actor when they get the chance to see BREATHLESS and experience Jean-Paul Belmondo’s undeniable appeal for themselves.